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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25599031">Articulate Illiterate</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowReaper_912/pseuds/ShadowReaper_912'>ShadowReaper_912</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Just Roll With It (Podcast)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Ambiguous/Open Ending, How Do I Tag, Minor Spoilers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 06:08:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>520</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25599031</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowReaper_912/pseuds/ShadowReaper_912</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A take on what happened when Br’aad found out  </p>
<p>!Slight spoilers for episode 31!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Articulate Illiterate</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Wait, Br’aad- Don’t-!” His words fell on deaf ears. With a swift motion, Br’aad shattered the red gem into several pieces. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sylnan watched on in horror as they fell to the floor, now dim. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Are there any </span>
  <em>
    <span>other </span>
  </em>
  <span>secrets you’re keeping from me, Sylnan? Anything else you’d like to tell me?” The older Vengolor could only stare at the shards of the gem, still wincing slightly at the migraine that pounded against his skull. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What have you done.” Sylnan’s words were quiet, solemn as he slumped against the cavern wall behind him, his head falling into his hands. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What have I done- Sylnan, you should be </span>
  <em>
    <span>thanking </span>
  </em>
  <span>me! That thing was super evil.” With a small grin, Br’aad began to collect the red shards, barely giving his brother a second glance. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t get it Br’aad- you’ve never been stupid like me. You’ve been able to read for as long as I can remember… but me? I only just got the pleasure of being able to read the words of others- to write my own- and you just… you went and took it away from me. Like you always do.” His words were practically whispers, and he couldn’t tell if Br’aad didn’t hear him, or if he just didn’t care. Either way, he reached into his bag and pulled out the familiar journal- the one previously belonging to his best friend. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Flicking to the first page, he looked at the scribbles there. Ugarth’s handwriting had been hard enough to read during his period of literacy, but now- it was the same incoherence Sylnan had been accustomed to his whole life. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Vaguely remembering the words, he tried to trace them out on the page, but no matter how hard he tried, he was unable to make out those heartwarming words. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Today, I met an interesting half elf named Sylnan.’</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He felt himself choke on a sob as he brushed his finger over the page. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Is- is this my name?” Sylnan didn’t care if the whole world could hear him anymore- this was the only thing he had left of Ugarth, and he couldn’t even make out the words. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>In that moment, the page faded away, and his vision succumbed to a red haze. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>This was all Br’aad’s fault. He had destroyed the one good thing to come from this demon. He had to pay. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He paid no mind to the notebook as it fell from his lap, hitting the floor and crumpling a few pages. Standing slowly, Sylnan saw the rest of the party standing around Br’aad. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Br’aad himself was kneeling on the floor, seemingly staring into his sword as he sat there motionless. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>One heavy step after another, Sylnan walked gradually until he stood just behind Br’aad. From his new angle, Sylnan could see the glazed over white of Br’aad’s eyes, and clicking his fingers in front of the blonde's face confirmed that he couldn’t be seen or heard. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You took one of the most important things to me, </span>
  <em>
    <span>brother. </span>
  </em>
  <span>I’m back to being that useless, illiterate idiot. And if I’m going down?” He laughed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“You’re going down with me.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
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